AfroCuba: An Anthology of Cuban Writing on Race, Politics and Culture

by Jean Stubbs (Editor), Pedro Pérez Sarduy (Editor)

This anthology looks at the AfroCuban experience through the eyes of the island’s writers, scholars and artists. "A rich portrait of AfroCuba—one of the most vibrant and least well-documented of the black Caribbean diasporas."—Stuart Hall     An insightful look at Cuba’s rich ethnic and cultural reality.   What is it like to be black in Cuba? Does racism exist in a revolutionary society that claims to have abolished it? How does the legacy of slavery and segregation live on in today’s Cuba?   Essays, poetry, extracts from novels, anthropological studies and political analysis are brought together by editors Jean Stubbs and Pedro Pérez to create an outstanding anthology of Cuban scholars, writers and artists. Drawing on an extensive knowledge of Cuba, the editors have produced a multi-faceted insight into Cuba’s right ethnic and cultural reality.   The book is divided into three The Die is Cast, Myth and Reality and Redrawing the Line, introducing the reader to a wide range of previously unavailable Cuban authors, in which dissenting voices speak alongside established writers, such as Fernando Ortiz.     Jean Stubbs is a professor of Caribbean and Latin American History at the University of North London. She has been a visiting associate professor at Hunter College, CUNY (New York) and Rockefeller scholar at the University of Florida (Gainesville), the University of Puerto Rico and Florida International University. Stubbs has published several other books, including Cuba : The Test of Time.   Pedro Pérez Sarduy is an AfroCuban poet and journalist. He was writer-in-residence at Columbia University and a Rockefeller visiting scholar at the University of Florida (Gainesville) and the University of Puerto Rico. He has been the recipient of several literary awards and regularly undertakes speaking tours in the United States.    

Genres: Nonfiction, Race

309 pages, Paperback

First published July 22, 1993

About the author

Aka Emma Darby

Jean was born in Lancashire and educated in Manchester. She has written many novels and short stories for magazines and collections, several of which have been adapted for radio and television. She has lived for more than twenty years in a cottage in Cornwall, England, with her husband.

Reviews

[Vladislav Radak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great, but rather scattered, an uneven collection of essays and stories without thematical order. AT some point translators are in doubt, leaving us to feel the same. Lots of essays are brilliant in depth view of the complex Afro Cuban mystique, yet no word of deepest of it all - Santeria trance possessions. Where are all the demons?

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is is fairly broad with its subject matter. I would’ve loved a bit of a tighter focus, but still a really solid collection of writings about an important subject

[Thaïs · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a book that takes a lot of attention to read. The translation is really choppy. It makes really good reference to all aspects of the Cuban culture.ie not just Afrocuban.

[emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cuba became communist in 1965. Until 1898, Cuba was one of Spain’s most productive sugar colonies. During the 1900s, Cubans enjoyed international recognition as a wealthy trading nation, with many educated people who traveled about Europe, SA and the US.
Before communism, Cuba had a complicated society just like any mixed race society. There were sections meant for certain people, and people organized themselves based on socioeconomics. Everyone had the chance to get educated, if they valued it and paid for it. Black Cubans still became prominent politicians, scientists, musicians, authors etc…
Even though Castro wanted to erase racism under communism, people were still seen through the lens of race. This made national unity difficult.
I really enjoyed reading about Sara Gomez, Manuel Mendive, Gerardo Mosquera, Brindis de Salas and Rafael Diaz Albertini and Odilio Urfe, who were prominent violinists in Paris and Cuba. I also liked reading about the strong influence of the Yoruba and many African ideologies, and how they mix with Native ideas.

[JC Sevart · Rating 4 out of 5]

a fun and interesting insight into Afrocubano culture in a very broad and all encompassing way. The writers delve into that culture via essays about political motivations in particularly Black parts of Cuba, sociological essays about music and religion, and collections of poetry and novel excerpts. I had a great time with this